Mechanico-Chemical Ablation Traverse City | Cadillac, MI

What is a Mechanical Chemical Ablation?

Mechanico-Chemical Ablation or MOCA is another non tumescent, non thermal technique for closing diseased veins. Dr. Heeringa was one of the first physicians in Northern Michigan to perform this procedure. Like VenaSeal this procedure does not require multiple needle pokes for local anesthetic along the course of the vein to be treated. There is only one needle poke for anesthetic where the catheter is inserted. This procedure uses a combination of mechanical damage via a spinning catheter to damage the inner lining of the vein and chemical damage via sclerosants which are injected through the spinning catheter.

Am I a good candidate for Mechanical Chemical Ablation?

This procedure is done using the Clarivein catheter. This thin catheter is inserted into the target vein under ultrasound guidance. The catheter is then attached to a hand piece and the doctor will pull a trigger which caused the catheter to spin at a very high rate. This spinning causes the vein to spasm and also irritates the inner lining of the vein. The doctor then slowly injects a sclerosing solution through the same catheter as it is slowly withdrawn much as a laser is withdrawn in a slow continuous fashion during the treatment. This combination of the spinning action of the catheter and the sclerosing medicine acts to close off the treated vein. The procedure is not painful and patients typically describe feeling a vibrating sensation during the treatment. The treatment typically takes 30 minutes or less. Like with Radio Frequency ablations or EVLT, the patient should wear compression stockings for up to two weeks after the procedure and can resume most normal activities the same day.

How does Mechanical Chemical Ablation work?

Clarivein or MOCA is a good choice for patients who cannot tolerate needles well, and who don’t have extremely large veins or abundant large branching varicosities coming off of the treated vein. Typically, only one leg is treated at a time as we want to limit how much of the sclerosing medicine is used at a single session.

What to expect from Mechanical Chemical Ablation procedure:

This procedure is contraindicated in patients with known allergies to polidocanol or Sodium Tetradecol sclerosants. Like other vein procedures, side effect or complications are rare. Potential complications include DVT, bruising, numbness and tingling. As with RFA and laser, a follow up ultrasound is typically scheduled several days after the procedure to confirm successful treatment and to rule out any potential complications.